What is the offside rule?

A player is offside if they are nearer to the opponents’ goal line than both the ball and the second-last defender at the moment the ball is played to them — and they then get involved in active play. You can’t be offside in your own half, from a throw-in, corner, or goal kick.

How long is a football match?

Two halves of 45 minutes each (90 total), plus stoppage time added by the referee. Knockout matches that are level may go to two 15-minute periods of extra time and then a penalty shootout.

What is the difference between a yellow and red card?

A yellow card is a caution. Two yellows in one match equal a red. A red card — straight or from two yellows — means the player is sent off and their team plays with ten.

Learn the game

Football rules, made simple

Football (soccer) is gloriously simple at its heart: two teams of eleven try to put the ball in the other team's goal more times than they let it in their own, using any part of the body except the hands and arms (the goalkeeper can use hands inside their own penalty area). Here's everything else, in plain English.

The basics

Teams & time: 11 vs 11, two 45-minute halves, plus stoppage time. Most leagues allow up to 5 substitutions.
Goal: the whole ball must cross the whole goal line, between the posts and under the bar. One goal = one point on the scoreboard.
Kick-off: starts each half and restarts after every goal.

Offside — the one everyone asks about

You are in an offside position if, when a team-mate plays the ball to you, you are closer to the opponents' goal line than both the ball and the second-to-last defender (usually the last outfield defender, since the goalkeeper is often the last). Being in an offside position is only an offence if you then become involved in active play. You cannot be offside in your own half, or directly from a throw-in, corner or goal kick.

Fouls & misconduct

Direct free kick / penalty: for kicking, tripping, pushing, holding or handling the ball deliberately. If the foul happens inside the defending team's penalty area, it's a penalty kick.
Yellow card (caution): reckless fouls, time-wasting, dissent. Two yellows = a red.
Red card (sending off): serious foul play, violent conduct, denying an obvious goal-scoring opportunity, or a second yellow. The player leaves and is not replaced.

Restarts (set pieces)

Throw-in: ball leaves the side line — thrown back in with both hands from behind the head.
Corner kick: defending team last touched it over their own goal line — attack restarts from the corner.
Goal kick: attacking team put it over the goal line — defenders restart from the six-yard box.
Penalty kick: one-on-one with the keeper from 12 yards.

Deciding a knockout match

League games can end in a draw. Knockout games that must produce a winner go to extra time (two 15-minute halves) and, if still level, a penalty shootout: five penalties each, then sudden death.

How standings are calculated

In a league or group stage, teams earn 3 points for a win, 1 for a draw, 0 for a loss. Tables are ranked by points, then usually goal difference (goals scored minus conceded), then goals scored. We show all of this on every tournament page.

New to it all? Ask our mascot ScoreBorg (the football in the corner) anything — it loves explaining the game.